Tunnels, Tooth Problems, and Ma-Wayne

There is a tiny knock at my door. “Ma-wayne.” says Gabe. He may be the most articulate 3 year old I’ve ever met. “Let’s go find tunnels.” I put down the computer and join him. He hands me a small flash light that barely produces light but he carries a powerful torch, with strobe settings and everything. We walk into the hall to a closed door.

“Let’s go in mommy’s tunnel.” he says. I smile and follow his lead. The room would be completely dark if our lights, his light, didn’t cut the darkness so thoroughly. We look around, and the bed room is transformed into a giant cave full of snakes and bats. “It’s dark” he says turning off his flashlight after getting onto the bed. “I’m a monster.” I turn off my light and drop to the floor crawling to the other side to avoid him. He can’t see me, and he laughs. “Where are you Ma-wayne?” and as quickly as the game starts it ends. “Ok. Let’s go to my tunnel.” We turn our flash lights on, and walk to his room. We change tunnels every few minutes, until eventually landing in his tunnel once more where he says, “Let’s play….*thinking*……doctor!”

“I think I’m sick.” he says handing me a stethoscope and immediately taking the role as patient.
“Oh, yeah? What’s wrong?”
“I have a tooth in my stomach?” He points to his stomach.”Oh, NO! Let me fix that.”

I pull out some nuts and bolts and fasten them to his fingers. He stands there with a sickly look on his face. I have to hurry, this is urgent. I grab a screw driver and hammer. It’s all we’ve got and there’s no time. I tap his rib cage and pretend to unscrew the bolts holding him together. *Tink* *Vrrrm* *Tink* “Ok, I think that’s it.” I say, confident I’ve removed the tooth from his belly.

“Oh, thank you.” he says gratefully, “Now, I’ll be the Doctor. How are you doing today?”
“Oh not good.”
“Why? What’s wrong?”
“I have a tooth in my belly.”

He smiles and resolves my issue in much the same way I resolved his. After a successful surgery he looks at me and says “Ok. Let’s go find tunnels.” We start exploring the tunnels in the house again.

“Gabe. It’s time for bed.” says Mom allowing him to explore one last tunnel before he has to get ready for bed. He puts on his pajamas he looks at me and says, “We can find more tunnels tomorrow Ma-wayne!” That makes me smile. After a fantastic nights sleep and some early morning work. There is once again a tiny knock at my door. “Ma-wayne.” says Gabe. It looks like its time to go find some tunnels.